The Negro's Complaint Poem Analysis
"The Negro's Complaint" is a poem written by English poet William Cowper in 1788. The poem is a powerful anti-slavery work, highlighting the inhumanity and cruelty of the slave trade. Written in the voice of an enslaved African, the poem gives a voice to the oppressed and raises awareness of the injustice and suffering they endure.
In this poem, Cowper employs a simple, yet effective, rhyming scheme of AABB, which makes the poem easy to read and accessible to a wide audience. This accessibility allows the message of the poem to resonate with readers and emphasizes the importance of the issue.
The poem begins with the speaker questioning why they have been subjected to such suffering and injustice, having been forcibly removed from their homeland and enslaved by Europeans. The speaker acknowledges that they are of the same human race as their oppressors, and yet they are treated as less than human.
As the poem progresses, the speaker condemns the greed and hypocrisy of their enslavers, who claim to be Christians yet engage in the brutal and inhumane practice of slavery. The poem exposes the inconsistency between the professed beliefs of the slave traders and their actions, which involve the exploitation and suffering of innocent people.
In the concluding stanzas, the speaker appeals to the reader's sense of morality and humanity. They express hope that those who hear their complaint will recognize the injustice of slavery and work to end it. The poem ends with a powerful reminder that God sees and judges all actions, suggesting that those who perpetuate the slave trade will ultimately face divine judgment.
"The Negro's Complaint" serves as a potent critique of the slave trade and a plea for justice and humanity. Through the voice of the enslaved African, Cowper effectively conveys the suffering and injustice experienced by the victims of slavery and calls on his readers to recognize their shared humanity and work to end this abhorrent practice.